Strong-motion recordings have been obtained in several buildings damaged by earthquakes. For post-earthquake inspection
of buildings, strong-motion records can provide important information on the integrity of the building structure. This
paper examines records from two concrete and four steel buildings damaged in earthquakes. The characteristics of the
building response that may be indicative of the structural damage are identified from the records. For these buildings,
the fundamental period, the maximum drift between the roof and the base, and the maximum base shear are all higher than
the corresponding design values. In addition, high-frequency spikes and highly nonlinear response can be seen in some of
the records.